Mice

As Lizzie and Ben fail to get rid of Sylvia’s mouse problem, mice come to symbolize hope. While mice may also symbolize timidity and vulnerability, which reflect Lizzie’s own insecurities and anxieties, they do not represent powerlessness. Although mice are small and seemingly weak, it is their relentless and perseverance that gives them power. Thus, mice symbolize hope in that just as they are small, Lizzie can take small steps towards achieving big change, as long as she does not give up.

Books

While books typically function as symbols of knowledge, for Lizzie, books come to symbolize guidance. As Lizzie is a librarian, she is constantly surrounded by books and often finds herself diving into the many different topics and genres held within her library. While Lizzie does use these books to learn new things, such as when she begins reading about politics and...